Improvement in suspenders



I; R. CU RT I S.

Suspenders.

No 149 727I Patented Aprii 1,4, 18.74.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEICEq IsAAC R. CURTIs, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN SUSPENDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,727, dated April 14, 1874 application filed December 24, 1872.

To all whom yit may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAC R. CURTIs, o Newark, in the county of Essex and the State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Suspenders; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished, is a. full, clear, .and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.

My invention relatesto the elastic part'of a suspender, which may] be or is usually secured between the button-stirrups and shoulderstraps, either at the front part or behind, or both 5 and it consists of a coiled metallic spring inclosed within an elastic woven covering, which serves the additional purpose as a check to preventoverstre tching, and at the same time yields easily and uniformly to the desired extent. The object of my invention is to furnish a cheap and lasting suspender, the emv bodiment of effectiveness, dispensing with rubber and similar gums, which so soon fail to perform the` required functions, owing to the fact of the peculiar action of the atmosphere upon them. Suspenders made elastic by the use or employment of rubber, when packed, even in smallquantities,durin g summer months, become yinoperative in consequence of the partial melting, dre., of the small strings of the latter material, whilev the extreme cold abstracts the particles of liquid or soft parts, and leaves the body brittle, which readily breaks when put in use. `These facts are conceded by the largest dealers in such articles, while the consumer will readily acknowledge that, even when warm and keptin contact with the humanbody with nearlya uniform heat, they soon become overstretched or set, and consequently fail to serve the desired purpose. For these or the foregoing reasons I have devised a means consisting of a spiral or coiled metallic spring,

which may be made very small, inelosing it' closely with a loose woven or elastic fabric, admittin g the required action lof the spring, and servingto shield the latter from the elothin g, as well as forming the only means required to prevent overstretching. As these springs are generally made of brass Wire or non-corrosive metal, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the action of the atmosphere will not aect them to any perceptible degree. Consequently they may be lpacked yand `retained on the shelves of the manufacturer and .merchant for years without injury to them.

My invention differs from those suspenders wherein metallic springs of a zigzag formation are adopted. The latter necessarily have to be formed of a heavier wire, and their shape is such as to require more breath of space. They also require a rigid case or socket for protection, as well as an additional means to prevent overstretching. The stitching and other work upon them is such as to make them expensive and unmerchantable. apply in those cases where series of small springs are adopted and connected together within a rigid socket.

Referring to thedrawings, Figures l and 2 represent a part of a suspender embodying my improvement.

I em'ploy the usual materials in the manufacture of the' strap which passes over the shoulders. The usual slide or buckle for adj'usting the lengths, 85e., maybe adopted. The coil is made in the usual way by being wound upon mandrels or otherwise, may be made in continuous lengths, and cut to suit the manufacturer; or they may lbe made singly of a -proper length. Hard or spring brass wire is generally preferred, although other suitable metals will serve instead. Loops are formed at each end of the coil, for the purpose of connecting the stirrup and shoulder straps or slide, which may be done by stitching, riveting, or otherwise.

rllhe elastic covering may be braided or but the combination of a single spiral spring and an elastic inclosing-case of knitted or woven fabric, serving as a covering and the only tension necessary to prevent overs'tretching, the whole applied to the stirrups or shoulderstraps of a pair of suspenders, thereby .forniing an improve-il article of manufacture, I am This will also not aware as having` been produced before my knitted or Woven fabric, substantially as and invention, as herein described; therefore, for the purpose described.

That I claim as my invention is- T x In combination with the st'irrup or shoulder ISAAC R' QDRVHS [L' S'] strap of a suspender, in buttonstrup or con- Witnesses: necting-piece composed of a metallic spiral JOHN DANE, Jr., spring, B, and an elastic inclosing-cuse, A, 0f MANUEL M. COOKE. 

